Apparatus for constructing levees and the like



Jan. 25, 1938. F. c. RUHLOFF APPARATUS FOR CONSTRUCTING LEVEES AND THE LIKE Filed June 27, 1956 IAINVENTOR.

ATTO EYS.

Patented Jan. 25, 1938 UNITED STATES APPARATUS FOR CONSTBUCTING LEVEES AND THE LIKE Application June 27,

16 Claims.

My invention relates to new and useful improvements in constructing levees and the like.

The principal object of my invention is to provide a self-propelled tower with two laterally extending wings, over the length of which runs a car or cars for the conveyance of excavated material, the car or cars being loaded by a power shovel or other excavating machine adjacent the extreme end of one wing, and dumping its con- 1c tents adjacent the extreme end of the other wing. My invention is an improvement over the somewhat similar apparatus shown and described in U. S. Patent No. 1,923,913, which issued August 22, 1933, to John Taylor Chambers.

5 More specifically it is the object of my invention to provide a hopper mounting for such apparatus, the hopper being characterized by the fact that it does not support the wing during loading, but is supported itself by the wing dur- 20, ing propelling.

By making the hopper thus independent of the wing to this extent, two advantages, not possible in the prior art, are attainable, namely: (1) the wing is relieved of jars during loading; and (2) the hopper can be readily placed at any desired position along the wing, so as to correspond with the casual position of the power shovel. Any desired conventional method of thus moving the hopper may be employed.

In addition to my principal objects above stated, I have worked out a number of novel and useful details, which will be readily evident as the description progresses.

My invention consists in the novel parts, and in the combination and arrangement thereof, which are defined in the appended claims, and

of which one embodiment is exemplified in the accompanying drawing, which are hereinafter particularly described and explained.

Throughout the description, the same reference number is applied to the same member or tosimilar members.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of my invention, with the wings and their suspension ropes broken, due to their length being too great to show adequately on the size of sheet prescribed by the rules of the Patent Ofiice.

Figure 2 is a plan View, corresponding to Figure 1, with the wings broken as in Figure 1, and with the tower cut away.

Figure 3 is a cross section of one wing and end view of the hopper and its support, taken along the lines 33 in Figure 1.

Referring to the drawing, it will be seen that H is the main propelling base of my apparatus,

1936, Serial No. 87,675

which runs on mats l2 appropriately laid for that purpose. This base contains the propelling and winch machinery l3, more or less symbolically shown in Figure 2. A tower M projects upwardly from the base. To one side of the base a loading 5 wing I5 is pivotally attached and to the other side a dumping wing it. These wings are respectively supported, for raising and lowering of any desired angular elevation by ropes I? and IS.

A car If! is shown in both dumping position and 10 nearly loading position on the two wings in Figures 1 and 2. This car runs on rails 29 which extend the length of both wings and the base. The movement of the car is effected from winch l3 by means of appropriate ropes extending over sheaves 2| at the extreme ends of the two wings.

22 is a loading hopper, into which the appropriate excavating instrumentality (not shown) dumps the dirt to be conveyed by my apparatus. This hopper is carried by an appropriate support 23 the base 24 of which is adapted to rest upon the ground, thus taking directly into the ground, rather than through the wing of my apparatus, the jar of the dirt as it is dumped into the hopper. And, being free of the wing, it can be moved along the wing to any desired loading position.

An important feature of my hopper-support is cross beams 25, 26. When it is desired to propel my apparatus, wing it is raised slightly, until its upper edge engages these cross beams and lifts the hopper and its support from the ground.

Accordingly it will be seen that the hopper and its support are free from my loading wing, the hopper being supported directly on the ground, during loading, and yet is picked up and carried by my loading wing during propelling. It also serves automatically as a counterweight, if the machine should start to tip, due to the presence of the car on the other wing, or to any other cause.

Having now described and illustrated one form of my invention, I wish it to be understood that my invention is not to be limited to the specific form or arrangement of parts hereinbefore described, except in so far as such limitations are specified in the appended claims.

More specifically the principles of my invention might be exemplified by the use of some other means of transportation than the car l9, and/or by the use of some other wing-arrangement than shown.

I claim:

1. In apparatus for constructing levees and the like, the combination of: a central supporting propelling base; a loading wing pivoted adjacent one side of said base; a dumping wing, pivoted adjacent the'opposite side of said base; adjustable means suspending each wing; a load-carrying car adapted to travel the length of the two wings and the base; a loading hopper, to direct material into the car; and a ground engaging support for the hopper, adapted to be engaged by the loading wing, whereby the hopper support is carried by the loading wing when the latter is raised, and whereby the hopper is free from connection with the loading wing when the latter is lowered. v

2. In apparatus for constructing levees and the like, the combination of: a central supporting propelling base; a loading wing pivoted adjacent one side of said base; a dumping wing, pivoted adjacent the opposite side of said base; adjustable means suspending each wing; load-carrying means adapted to carry material the length of the two wings and the base; a loading hopper, to direct material onto the load-carrying means; and a ground engaging support forthe hopper, adapted to be engaged by the loading wing, whereby the hopper is carried by the loading wing when the latter is raised, and whereby the hopper is free from connection with the loading wing when the latter is lowered.

3. In apparatus for constructing levees and the like, the combination of: a central supporting of the wing; a loading hopper, to direct material into the car; and a ground engaging support for the hopper, adapted to be engaged by the loading wing; whereby the hopper is carried by the loading wing when the latter is raised, and whereby the hopper is free from connection with the loading wing when the latter is lowered.

4. In apparatus for constructing levees and the like, the combination of: a central supporting propelling base; a loading wing pivoted to said base; adjustable means suspending said wing; load-carrying means adapted to carry material the length of the wing; a loading hopper, to direct material onto the load-carrying means; and a ground engaging support for the hopper, adapted to be engaged by the loading wing, whereby the hopper is carried by the loading wing when the latter is raised, and whereby the hopper is free from connection with the loading wing when the latter is lowered.

5. In apparatus for constructing levees and the alike, the combination of: a central supporting propelling base; a loading wing projecting from and supported by one side of said base; a dump ing wing, projecting from and supported by the opposite side of said base; a load-carrying car adapted to travel the length of the two wings and the base; a loading hopper, to direct material into the car; and a ground engaging support for the hopper, adapted to be engaged by the loading wing, whereby the hopper support is carried by the loading wing when the latter is raised, and

whereby the hopper is free from connection with the loading wing when the latter is lowered.

6. In apparatus for constructing levees and the like, the combination of: a central supporting propelling base; a loading wing projecting from and supported by one side of said base; a dumping wing, projecting from and supported by the opposite side of said base; load-carrying means adapted to carry material the length of the two wings and the base; a loading hopper, to direct material onto the load-carrying means; and a ground engaging support for the hopper, adapted to be engaged by the loading wing, whereby the hopper is carried by the loading wing when the latter is raised, and whereby the hopper is free from connection with the loading wing when the latter is lowered.

'7. In apparatus for constructing levees and the like, the combination of: a central supporting propelling base; a loading wing projecting from and supported by said base; a load-carrying car adapted to travel the length of the wing; a loading hopper, to direct material into the car; and a ground engaging support for the hopper, adapted to be engaged by the loading wing, whereby the hopper is carried by the loading wing when the latter is raised, and whereby the hopper is free from connection with the loading wing when the latter is lowered.

8. In apparatus for constructing levees and the like, the combination of: a central supporting propelling base; a loading wing projecting from and supported by said base; load-carrying means adapted to carry material the length of the wing; a loading hopper, to direct material onto the loadcarrying means; and a ground engaging support for the hopper, adapted to be engaged by the loading wing, whereby the hopper is carried by the loading wing when the latter is raised, and whereby the hopper is free from connection with the loading wing when the latter is lowered.

9. In apparatus for constructing leeves and the like, the combination of: a central supporting propelling base; a loading wing pivoted adjacent one side of said base; a dumping wing, pivoted adjacent the opposite side of said base; adjustable means suspending each wing; a load-carrying car adapted to travel the length of the two wings and the base; a loading hopper, to direct material into the car; and a ground engaging support for the hopper, adapted to be engaged by the loading wing, whereby the hopper support is carried by the loading wing when the latter is raised, and whereby the hopper is free from connection with the loading wing when the latter is lowered, and whereby the hopper may be positioned at any desired spot along the loading wing.

10. In apparatus for constructing levees and the like, the combination of: a central supporting propelling base; a loading wing pivoted adjacent one side of said base; a dumping wing, pivoted adjacent the opposite side of said base; adjustable means suspending each wing; load-carrying means adapted to carry material the length of the two wings and the base; a loading hopper, to direct material onto the load-carrying means; and a ground engaging support for the hopper, adapted to be engaged by the loading wing, whereby the hopper is carried by the loading wing when the latter is raised, and whereby the hopper is free from connection with the loading wing when the latter is lowered, and whereby the hop per may be positioned at any desired spot along the loading wing.

11. In apparatus for constructing levees and the like, the combination of: a central supporting propelling base; a loading wing pivoted to said base; adjustable means suspending said wing; a load-carrying car adapted to travel the length of the wing; a loading hopper, to direct material into the car; and a ground engaging support for the hopper, adapted to be engaged by the loading wing, whereby the hopper is carried by the loading wing when the latter is raised, and whereby the hopper is free from connection with the loading wing when the latter is lowered, and whereby the hopper may be positioned at any desired spot along the loading wing.

12. In apparatus for constructing levees and the like, the combination of a central supporting propelling base; a loading wing pivoted to said base; adjustable means suspending said wing; load-carrying means adapted to carry material the length of the wing; a loading hopper, todirect material onto the load-carrying means; and a ground engaging support for the hopper, adapted to be engaged by the loading wing, whereby the hopper is carried by the loading wing when the latter is raised, and whereby the hopper is free from connection with the loading wing when the latter is lowered, and whereby the hopper may be positioned at any desired spot along the loading wing.

13. In apparatus for constructing levees and the like, the combination of: a central supporting propelling base; a loading wing projecting from and supported by one side of said base; a dumping wing, projecting from and supported by the opposite side of said base; a load-carrying car adapted to travel the length of the two wings and the base; a loading hopper, to direct material into the car; and a ground engaging support for the hopper, adapted to be engaged by the loading wing, whereby the hopper support is carried by the loading wing when the latter is raised, and whereby the hopper is free from connection with the loading wing when the latter is lowered, and whereby the hopper may be positioned at any desired spot along the loading wing.

14. In apparatus for constructing levees and the like, the combination of: a central supporting propelling base; a loading wing projecting from and supported by one side of said base; a, dumping wing, projecting from and supported by the opposite side of said base; load-carrying means adapted to carry material the length of the two wings and the base; 'a loading hopper, to direct material onto the load-carrying means; and a ground engaging support for the hopper, adapted to be engaged by the loading wing, whereby the hopper is carried by the loading wing when the latter is raised, and whereby the hopper is free from connection with the loading wing when the latter is lowered, and whereby the hopper may be positioned at any desired spot along the loading wing.

15. In apparatus for constructing levees and the like, the combination of: a central supporting propelling base; a loading wing projecting from and supported by said base; a load-carrying car adapted to travel the length of the wing; a loading hopper, to direct material into the car; and a ground engaging support for the hopper, adapted to be engaged by the loading wing; whereby the hopper is carried by the loading wing when the latter is raised, and whereby the hopper is free from connection with the loading wing when the latter is lowered, and whereby the hopper may be positioned at any desired spot along the loading wing.

16. In apparatus for constructing levees and the like, the combination of: a central supporting propelling base; a loading wing projecting from and supported by said base; load-carrying means adapted to carry material the length of the wing; a loading hopper, to direct material onto the loadcarrying means; and a ground engaging support for the hopper, adapted to be engaged by the loading wing, whereby the hopper is carried by the loading wing when the latter is raised, and whereby the hopper is free from connection with the loading wing when the latter is lowered, and whereby the hopper may be positioned at any desired spot along the loading wing.

FREDERIC CARL RUHLOFF. 

